Full Judgment
CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN TUESDAY, THE 23RD DAY OF APRIL 2024 / 3RD VAISAKHA, 1946 CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 CRIME NO.1122/2018 OF Kollam West Police Station, Kollam AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT DATED IN CC NO.113 OF 2019 OF JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS MAGISTRATE COURT - III, KOLLAM PETITIONER/S: 1 SAJIKUMAR AGED 47 YEARS S/O PURUSHOTHAMAN VADAKKEVILA VEEDU, NEDUMPANA CHERRY, NEDUMPANA VILLAGE, NEDUMPANA PO, KOLLAM (DIST)-, PIN - 691576 2 AJAYABOASE AGED 46 YEARS S/O MOHANACHANDRAN KADAYAZHIKAM VEEDU, UDAYAMARTHANDAPURAM CHERRY, MUNDAKKAL EAST VILLAGE, MUNDAKKAL PO, KOLLAM (DIST)-, PIN - 691010 3 AJI THOMAS AGED 44 YEARS S/O KUNJUKUNJU KUREEPPALLY KALPANA HOUSE NADUVILAKKARA CHERRY, THRIKKOVILVATTAM VILLAGE, THRIKKOVILVATTAM PO, KOLLAM (DIST)-, PIN - 691576 4 BIJU P JOHN AGED 42 YEARS S/O JOHN KUREEPPALLY BINU BHAVAN NADUVILAKKARA CHERRY, THRIKKOVILVATTAM VILLAGE, THRIKKOVILVATTAM PO, KOLLAM (DIST), PIN - 691576 5 SAJEEV AGED 56 YEARS S/O BHRAHMANGADAN SIJU BHAVAN NEDUMPANA CHERRY, NEDUMPANA VILLAGE, NEDUMPANA PO, KOLLAM (DIST)-, PIN CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 2 - 691576 6 VINOD PURUSHOTHAMAN AGED 54 YEARS S/O PURUSHOTHAMAN VADAKKEKKARAVILA VEEDU NEDUMPANA CHERRY, NEDUMPANA VILLAGE, NEDUMPANA PO, KOLLAM (DIST)-, PIN - 691576
BY ADV M.RAJESH RESPONDENT/S: 1 STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KERALA ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682031 2 THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE KOLLAM WEST POLICE STATION CIVIL STATION PO, KOLLAM, PIN - 691013
3 NISAR AGED 59 YEARS S/O ABU MUHAMMED ANEEBZ VEEDU, KAITHAVARAM NAGAR- 67, PUNNATHALA CHERRY, KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, THIRUMULLAVARAM PO, KOLLAM, PIN - 691012 4 BEENA AGED 50 YEARS W/O ADVOCATE NISAR, ANEEBZ VEEDU, KAITHAVARAM NAGAR- 67, PUNNATHALA CHERRY, KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, THIRUMULLAVARAM PO, KOLLAM, PIN - 691012 BY ADV C.R.JAYAKUMAR OTHER PRESENT: SMT. SEETHA S SR.PP THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 23.04.2024, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 3 P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J --------------------------------------- Crl.M.C. No. 1870 of 2024 -------------------------------------- Dated this the 23rd day of April, 2024
ORDER
This Criminal Miscellaneous Case is filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (“the Code” for the sake of brevity).
2. The petitioners are the accused in CC No. 113/2019
on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III, Kollam arising from Crime No. 1122/2018 of Kollam West Police Station. The above case is registered alleging offences punishable under Secs.143, 147, 294(b), 341, 427, 506(i) r/w Sec.149 of the IPC.
3. The prosecution case is that the accused formed
themselves into an unlawful assembly and wrongfully CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 4 restrained the victim and used filthy language. It is also alleged that the accused criminally intimidated the victims.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that
the parties have settled their dispute and do not wish to pursue the prosecution proceedings. The counsel relies on the affidavit filed by the victims in support of his contention. The counsel appearing for the victims also submitted that the matter is settled and the victims have no objection in quashing the prosecution.
5. The learned Public Prosecutor, on instructions, has
expressed reservations about quashing the proceedings solely on the basis of the settlement. But the Public Prosecutor conceded that the matter is settled between the parties.
6. This Court has considered the submission of the petitioners, victims and the Public Prosecutor and has also gone through the records including the affidavits filed by the victims.
7. In State of Madhya Pradesh v Laxmi Narayan
and Others (2019 (5) SCC 688), three judge bench of the CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 5 Hon'ble Supreme Court has summarized the situation in which non compoundable offences can be quashed invoking the powers under Section 482 of the Code. The apex court in Laxmi Narayan's case (supra) also relied on the law laid down in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab and another (2012 (10) SCC 303) and Narinder Singh and others v. State of Punjab and another (2014 (6) SCC 466). The apex court in paragraph 13 of the Laxmi Narayan's case discussed the law in detail and the same is extracted hereunder: “13. Considering the law on the point and the other decisions of this Court on the point,
referred to herein above, it is observed and held
as under: i) that the power conferred under S.482 of the Code to quash the criminal proceedings for the non - compoundable offences under S.320 of the Code can be exercised having overwhelmingly and predominantly the civil character, particularly those arising out of commercial transactions or arising out of matrimonial relationship or family disputes and when the parties have resolved the entire dispute amongst themselves; ii) such power is not to be exercised in those prosecutions which involved heinous and serious offences of mental depravity or offences like murder, rape, dacoity, etc. Such offences are not private in nature and have a serious impact on
CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 6
society; iii) similarly, such power is not to be exercised for the offences under the special statutes like Prevention of Corruption Act or the offences committed by public servants while working in that capacity are not to be quashed merely on the basis of compromise between the victim and the offender; iv) offences under S.307 IPC and the Arms Act etc. would fall in the category of heinous and serious offences and therefore are to be treated as crime against the society and not against the individual alone, and therefore, the criminal proceedings for the offence under S.307 IPC and / or the Arms Act etc. which have a serious impact on the society cannot be quashed in exercise of powers under S.482 of the Code, on the ground that the parties have resolved their entire dispute amongst themselves. However, the High Court would not rest its decision merely because there is a mention of S.307 IPC in the FIR or the charge is framed under this provision. It would be open to the High Court to examine as to whether incorporation of S.307 IPC is there for the sake of it or the prosecution has collected sufficient evidence, which if proved, would lead to framing the charge under S.307 IPC. For this purpose, it would be open to the High Court to go by the nature of injury sustained, whether such injury is inflicted on the vital / delegate parts of the body, nature of weapons used etc. However, such an exercise by the High Court would be permissible only after the evidence is collected after investigation and the charge sheet is filed / charge is framed and / or during the trial. Such exercise is not permissible when the matter is still under investigation. Therefore, the ultimate
CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 7
conclusion in paragraphs 29.6 and 29.7 of the
decision of this Court in the case of Narinder Singh (supra) should be read harmoniously and to be read as a whole and in the circumstances stated herein above; v) while exercising the power under S.482 of the Code to quash the criminal proceedings in respect of non- compoundable offences, which are private in nature and do not have a serious impart on society, on the ground that there is a settlement / compromise between the victim and the offender, the High Court is required to consider the antecedents of the accused; the conduct of the accused, namely, whether the accused was absconding and why he was absconding, how he had managed with the complainant to enter into a compromise etc.”
8. Keeping in mind the above dictum laid down by the
apex court, this court perused the facts in this case and also perused the documents produced by the parties. After going through the entire facts and circumstances I am of the considered opinion that the dispute is private in nature and the settlement can be accepted. Therefore, this Criminal Miscellaneous case is allowed. All further proceedings against the petitioners in CC No. 113/2019 on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III, CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 8 Kollam arising from Crime No. 1122/2018 of Kollam West Police Station are quashed. Sd/- P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN JUDGE SKS CRL.MC NO. 1870 OF 2024 9 APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 1870/2024 PETITIONER ANNEXURES Annexure1 THE TRUE COPY OF THE CHARGE SHEET IN CRIME NO. 1122/2018 OF KOLLAM WEST POLICE STATION Annexure2 AN AFFIDAVIT SUBMITTED BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT DATED 21.02.2024 Annexure3 AFFIDAVIT SUBMITTED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT DATED 21.02.2024